Improvement in fire-extinguishers



No. 111,836. yn nn'rnn FEB. 14, 1871.

J. GARDNER. FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

INVENTOR- Attest. Q 34 bated dtffid.

JOSEPH GARDNER, OF BEDFORD, INDIANA.

Letters Patent No. 111,836, dated February 14, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-EXTINGUISHERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and makin part: of thesame.

I, J osnPH GARDNER, of Bedford, in the county of Lawrence and State ofIndiana, have invented a new and Useful Fire-Extinguisher, of which thefollowing is a specification, V

Nature and Objects of the Iiwentc'on. This invention relates to thatclass of portable apparatus in which a fire-extinguishing gas isgenerated by the combination of a suitable acid solntio with an alkalineone; and

My improvement consists in constructing such anapparatus with threeseparate chambers or reservoirs,

the first one being for the reception of the acid solution, the secondone for containing the alkaline solution, 'and the third one being amixing chamber, into which the contents of the other two are dischargedwhenever required, so as to combine and generate the gas; and incombining therewith an equalizing pipe for the purpose of insuring aufiiform pressure within the chambers as soon as the generation of gastakes place.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

' The accompanying drawing is a partially sectionized side. elevation ofafire-extinguisher embodying -my improvements.

' General Description.

A, .B, and 0 represent, respectively, the alkaline chamber, the acidchamber, and the mixing or gasgenerating chamber.

These three chambers may be of any desired shape or size, andconstructed either of brass, iron, copper, or any other suitablematerial, .care being taken to make them strong enough .to. stand thenecessary pressure.

The upper ends of the chambers A and B are provided with screw-threadedcaps, D and E, which, when removed, permit said chambers being chargedwith their appropriate compounds or solutions.

The cap D of chamber A is furnished with a stut fing-box, 1 throughwhich projects a rod or shaft, G,

whose upper end has attached to it a handle or crank,

H, while its lower end carries a blade, 'wing, or'agitator, I.

. The lower end of shaft G may, if preferred, be journalcd in a spider,J, or it may simply rest upon the bottom oi the chamber.

The vessel B, being designed for containing the acid solution, is linedon the inside with a leaden jacket or casing, K, which effectuallyprevents the acid injuring the metal of which said chamber is comn d-The lower portions of the chambers A and B are united to the reservoir0, either by solder or rivets,

so as to form a gas-tight joint between them, and the extreme lower endsof said chambers are provided with downwardly-projecting pipes, L M,having cocks or valves, .N O, which are operated by handles, 1 R,

on the outside of reservoir 0.

Projecting from any convenient part of reservoir 0 is a discharge-pipe,S, to which the hose is attached, and the flow of gas through said pipeis controlled by the cock T,

Attached to reservoir 0, and communicating with the interior of thesame, is an equalizing pipe, U, whose upper end is united tobranch-pipes V and W, which'latter are connected respectively withchambers A and B.

The branch-pipes V and \V' are furnished with valves or cocks, X andY,'so as to open and close communication between i the chambers A B andreservoir' (l.

Operation.

The operation of my fire-extinguisher is as follows: The caps D and Eare first removed, the valves N O T-X Y closed, and the chambers A Bfilled with their appropriate compounds, the alkaline solution being putinto chamber A and the acid solution into chamber B, after which thecaps D E are secured in their original positions.

The machine is now ready for use, and the moment a fire occurs theattendant gives the handle Ha few turns, so as to rotate the agitator I,and thereby stir up the contents of the alkalinechamber A, after whichthe cocks N and O are opened, so as to permit the contents of chambers Aand B mixing together in reservoir 0, and by combining to generate thefireextinguishing gas.

As soon as the gas begins to generate the cooks X and ,Y are opened, soas to establisha uniform pressure throughout the entire apparatus.

By turning the cock Tthe gas is discharged through the conducting-hoseand nozzle upon the fire.

The cocks X and Y should be constantly closed, except when. theapparatus is put inaction, so as to prevent any commingling of thecontents of the two chambers A and B in case the extinguisher should heaccidentally overturned.

In the illustration the chambers for containing the alkaline and acidsolutions are represented as attached to the upper side of the mixingchamber, but it is evident that the same result can beobtained byplacing all three of the receptacles side by side, or, if preferred, thealkaline, the acid, and the mixing-chambers can all be arranged within asingle vessel, hav ing partitions or diaphragms in it, for the purposeof separating the different solutions.

The machine may be small and light enough to bc men or horses.

' Claim;

v I claim'as my invention- The combined arrangement; of the alkalichamher A, acid chamber B, mixing chamberQeqnahzmg' pipe U, branches VW, discharge-pipe S, mi cocks N, O, 1, X, and Y, as and for'the pnrposesstated.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand. I

- JOSEPH GALDNER.

Witnesses E. R. MURPHY, ISAAC REGTER.

